Pennsylvania Republican Rick Santorum has added two Iowans to his presidential exploratory team here.

Republican Jamie Johnson

Stratford resident Jamie Johnson, who ran for the Iowa Legislature in 2008, will be the state coalitions director, according to a news release this morning from Santorum, a former U.S. senator.

“In this role, Jamie will manage the senator’s statewide coalitions and grassroots efforts,” the news release says. “A 20-year veteran of political campaigns across the nation and a frequent speaker to Iowa Tea Party events, Jamie has become a well-known and well-connected voice for conservatism across the Hawkeye State. Jamie has also served on the Republican Party of Iowa’s platform committee, as well as a delegate to three state Republican conventions.”

In November 2008, Republican Jamie Johnson, then a 43-year-old manager of a Christian radio station lost a challenge against incumbent Democrat McKinley Bailey, then 27, of Webster City. Bailey beat Johnson by 1,404 votes.

Johnson and his father owned a Christian radio station in Boone, KFFF 1260 AM and 99.3 FM, in Boone, until they sold it to the Truth Network in 2010.

In July, Johnson left Iowa to enter law school in Virginia, but he has put his degree on hold for now. He said he has a passion for politics and couldn’t stand being away from Iowa during the heat of the run-up to the presidential election. He returned in March.

Also today, Santorum said he has tapped April Baylor of Ames as assistant to Iowa State Director Cody Brown.

Baylor volunteered for Republican Tom Latham’s successful run for Congress and Terry Branstad’s campaign for governor.